IRISH AFFAIRS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1677, 6 April 1886, Page 3

IRISH AFFAIRS.

(Per Mail Steamer.) The Dablin Freeman's Journal of Feb 15th, congratulates the Irish people on the soli4 : b'b,dy of opi.nionin the United States iii active sympathy with them on the Home Rule agitation. Mr Gladstone has sent letters, of , inquiry to all sorts and conditions of Irishmen, asking an opinion of Irish affairs. _*„.,..., -, -■■■ •• . . .■; The'^Government's proposal to buy up landlords iv Ireland is m substance the same scheme; as that approved . by. th« leadinß members of the Sialißbury Cabinet. The amount to be raised on Consols to buy out the landlords m\V be £150,000,600 involving an aunnal charge on each year m the way of interest of of J5,000,0p6.' The expenses is to be jaet by stoppage of Irish grants of. £3,000,000, and £3,000,000 from the first charge of rent, to come from Irish occupiers. The Conservatives are eager to assist the landlords, and will- amend the details of the Bill, but will not oppoße the, measure. .., ; i On Feb; 15 the Corporation of Dublin adopted resolutions demanding Home Rule, and expressing reliance on Mr Gladstone's promises and ability to secure it. Mr, Dillon, speaking m Dublin on Feb. 16, said^— " We are now on the , . evo of a national Parliament.for Ireland. AYe only ;accspt the completest form of Home Rule. When we have that, I and other Irish gentlemen will join hands with Englishmen." Three hundred and fifty-nine Presbyterian congreratiodii m , Ireland, numbering altogether 328,100 persons, have adopted resolutions denouncing, a project establishing Home Rule m, the country, . ; • Lord deVesci, an Irish landlord, s»ys. in /reply to" Mr Gladstone's letter of : iuquiryi that he considers that the late Parliamentary elections, wejre fought on th« land plank rather than on the question of self -govern merit. He -expresses th* opinion that the idea of selfgovernment will vanish when . the land .question is. ; settled. Th« loynl-, ists, he says, share m the liberal desire to Rssirailat* the law systems of England and Ireland. A delegation of Presbyterians presented the Earl of Aberdeen, at Dublin, on Marrh sth, with an address of wel ■ coma on. behalf of the General Assembly.. The address assures the Government of the unswerving loyalty of the Assembly, and insists upon the main-tenance-of the Union m its fullest integrity, as essential .to the peace of Ireland. It declares that half a million Imh Presbyteriann will oppose to the utmost any attempts to aever the union. Lord Aberdeen replied,. briefly savin i; that he hoped at no distant, day an era of peace would b? inaugHratted m Iroltnd. ;' v .Mr Parriell will preside at ...the Nation-' al (St Patrick's Day) festival m London; It is L'xp«ct9d he will make an important speech. ; , :

According to the ; Woiodville Examiner Pahiatifa is raakitig rapid progress. It has a good future before it, and will be an important inland to wnthip—th« centre for a jarj^e pbpiilatipa m the thririnjj districts covered by the Special Stttlemeut Associations m close proxiihitT. R It-has 1 already a very bumi>r«iif» roll of ratepayers, and is now about to ■ <be proclaimed a Town Board's District. Hundreds of "dodgers have been <posted from addressed to- ; s»ttlers m tlils neighborhood, purporting 4o be 'V,a consultation "on a race meet-' .'ing. They, are signod James Wallace,/ '.Secretary S.J.iT.C. We "beg -to warn all j>eraons who may. receive thnm, that the . whole affair is a rank fraud. —Star. We entirely emlorae our contemporary's ■ opiniod of the " swindlo " m question.